After Becoming a Cannon Fodder Side Character, I Became the Group’s Favorite (GL) - Chapter 23.2

Hua Jing carried Xu Chacha up two flights of stairs to another photo studio and put her down when they got inside.

“Here, what you asked for: four or five years old, shoe size 26, one meter tall.” She lowered her head and poked Xu Chacha’s soft cheek with her finger. “And she’s a little beauty.”

Xu Chacha’s eyes were wide and round. She didn’t dare move. Is this really not a human trafficking transaction?

“But what about the designer…”

“Just go and tell her that my magazine won’t wait for her precious little darling to get out of the hospital to sell,” Hua Jing said forcefully, silencing the staff. “Take a picture to show her after the makeup is done. If it works, fine. If not, so be it. Are there no other designers in the world that my EV can hire?”

“Auntie Jingjing,” Xu Chacha tugged at the hem of her clothes. “You shouldn’t be fierce.”

The little girl’s clear, innocent eyes made a sense of guilt rise in Hua Jing. Remembering that she had just bragged a few minutes ago about being a gentle auntie, she felt a bit embarrassed.

“Auntie wasn’t being fierce to anyone, don’t be scared.” Realizing she hadn’t set a good example for the little girl, Hua Jing cleared her throat and added, “When the matter is resolved, send a gift to that hospitalized little model, in EV’s name.”

“Yes, Sister Hua,” the stylist whispered and then took Xu Chacha’s hand. “Do you want to go change clothes with Sister?”

Xu Chacha nodded, obediently placing her soft little hand in the stylist’s palm.

The two walked to the makeup room. Only when Hua Jing’s back was out of sight did Xu Chacha release the breath she had been holding.

” Sister, I’m not five. I’m seven already.”

The stylist hadn’t expected the little girl to be sulking with a frown the whole way just because of this. She smiled and nodded. ” Sister knows. You’re a big girl, right?”

“…” Why is she still treating me like a child to be coaxed?

The stylist wheeled out the clothing rack, removing the dust cover. “Come,  Sister will help you change.”

Xu Chacha had always thought that many children’s clothes were better designed than adult ones, and this dress could be classified as the former.

She didn’t know what fabric was used, but the skirt looked soft and glossy, yet it didn’t lose its shape or structure from being too pliable.

The outermost layer of the skirt was wrapped in a fine mesh. The mesh holes were quite dense, and the patterns on it were hand-embroidered by the designer personally with silver thread, stitch by stitch. The process took a full five years.

Chacha had heard the designer’s name. He was an elderly veteran in his seventies. The significance of a dress he put so much heart into must not be simple.

With the stylist’s help, Xu Chacha put on the dress. The rosy pink color made her skin look so fair it seemed ready to break, and her legs under the skirt were slender and straight.

The dress was sized according to the original child model, making it smaller than average, but because Xu Chacha was so slim, even though she was a few centimeters taller than the original model, it didn’t feel particularly tight.

She sat in the chair with her eyes closed, letting the stylist apply makeup to her face obediently.

“I heard he designed it for his granddaughter,” the stylist gossiped with the assistant next to her. “His granddaughter is also pitiful. She was born without a breath after a difficult delivery and barely survived. After they finally saved her, they found out she was mute and had a very weak constitution; she couldn’t handle even the slightest bump.”

“Then for us to do this…” the assistant stopped mid-sentence.

“What can we do?” The stylist pouted. “You know Sister Hua’s personality. Besides, it was written clearly in the contract that in case of any unexpected situation, the designer must cooperate with us to complete the photos first.”

“Sigh.”

They probably assumed Xu Chacha couldn’t understand, so they spoke without restraint. In fact, Xu Chacha heard every word, and it made her feel quite uncomfortable.

“Can’t you do what Auntie did and let a later-scheduled person take the spot?” Xu Chacha looked up and asked.

The stylist was a bit surprised, but she still answered seriously. “We’ve tried every possible method. You are our last resort, sweetie.”

If they were to replace the model, they would need to change more than just the photos and clothes. They would also have to rewrite the already completed interview about the designer, Lang Shu. Finding a model in a day or two wasn’t difficult, but finding another designer with a reputation comparable to Lang Shu for an interview would be too far-fetched.

As a fellow designer, Hua Jing was sympathetic to Lang Shu and his granddaughter’s plight, but as the editor-in-chief of EV and half a businesswoman, she couldn’t bring those emotions into her work.

Xu Chacha’s lips were pressed into a straight line. The innocent, carefree smile on her face faded, replaced by a somewhat serious expression.

“What is it? Are you unhappy?”

In her past life, Xu Chacha would have gritted her teeth and taken the spot, even risking being criticized by the designer’s fans. Arbitrariness and the right to choose were privileges only for those with a backup plan. All she could do then was strive to earn every penny that could get her out of a dependent life.

But this time, she didn’t want to. Seeing this dress, Xu Chacha’s mind was filled with the old designer’s painstaking efforts on every stitch and his unconditional love for his granddaughter. Regardless of the reason, she couldn’t wear it to take pictures with an ordinary state of mind.

The dress felt like a tight hand gripping her, making her gasp for breath and just wanting to take it off quickly.

“I’m sorry,  Sister.” She jumped down from the chair. “Can I not take the photos?”

“Are you feeling unwell?” The stylist grew anxious. “Or are you in a bad mood, or did I hurt you while doing your makeup? Shall we take a break first?”

Xu Chacha shook her head, her dark eyes reflecting their worried expressions. “Please ask the designer grandpa again. Maybe in his heart, even if he has to pay you for breach of contract, he doesn’t want to see this dress worn by another child.”

The stylist was a bit stunned. She hadn’t expected Xu Chacha, at such a young age, to be so thoughtful.

But her words were somewhat right. Hua Jing intended to act first and report later. If the photos were done, Lang Shu would lose the right to refuse.

Given Lang Shu’s personality, he might very well just send over the penalty for breach of contract.

” Sister, help me take it off.” Xu Chacha pulled her hand, tugging her towards the changing room. “Can we wait until that little sister is better to take the photos?”

The stylist felt a bit soft-hearted, but she still remembered Hua Jing’s instructions and didn’t dare disobey.

“I’ll go talk to Auntie Jingjing.” Xu Chacha sensed her hesitation and strode out with her short legs.

Hua Jing was discussing the set design with the photographer. When she saw Xu Chacha in the dress, her eyes lit up. She clapped her hands. “I knew she was the right fit.”

“Little beauty, do you want to consider signing a contract with me and becoming a model here?” Hua Jing held her face with both hands, squeezing with the force of kneading dough.

“Auntie Jingjing, I don’t want to take photos.”

Xu Chacha’s brows furrowed. With her cheeks held by Hua Jing, her speech was unclear, making the atmosphere not serious at all.

“What did you say?” Hua Jing let go of her hands. “You don’t want to shoot? Why?”

She assumed Xu Chacha was being temperamental like a child, getting cold feet after the novelty wore off and she saw the camera.

“This dress was designed for Grandpa Lang’s granddaughter. Chacha shouldn’t steal it.” Xu Chacha finished seriously, folding her hands in front of her and bowing to Hua Jing. “I’m sorry. Chacha has caused you trouble.”

“Why are you bowing if you don’t want to shoot? If your Auntie sees it, she’ll think you were wronged here.” Hua Jing quickly helped her up and sighed. “You’re so sensible that it makes Auntie look cold-blooded.”

Xu Chacha shook her head, patting her shoulder in comfort. “Auntie Jingjing is also thinking of the Sisters and Big Brothers here. Chacha understands you.”

This struck a chord with Hua Jing. She was the editor-in-chief, responsible for the livelihoods of everyone under her. She had to think more thoroughly and consider the bigger picture than others.

EV Kids’ wear was far less successful than the fashion weekly. Sales were sluggish. She had managed to save it from closing several times by pulling strings and finding interviews. So, even a minor oversight could be seized upon, making a suspension of publication and layoffs understandable.

Hua Jing wasn’t joking when she told Wen Mubai she was losing her hair. Her anxiety was so severe that she had to take sleeping pills every night.

“I read your magazines too,” Xu Chacha looked up. “But there are too many words. It’s so tiring to read. My daddy can understand it, but even after he reads it every time, he still doesn’t know what to buy. In the end, he just buys me a bunch of expensive and ugly little dresses.”

While comparing magazines earlier, Xu Chacha had noticed a serious problem with EV Kids’ wear.

—They sacrificed the readability of the magazine itself to elevate the so-called style.

The customers for children’s fashion magazines were mostly middle-to-high-income families with children. They were busy with work and had to take care of their children’s every need when they came home. When they occasionally had a few snippets of free time, they didn’t have the energy to delve into lengthy interview texts.

They didn’t want to settle for buying generic, mass-market clothes for their children at the mall, but they also didn’t have much time to compare brand value and research recent trends. They didn’t need high-end prestige; they just needed convenient choices.

“So, my daddy is silly. He only looks at the price when buying clothes. But actually, there are many that Chacha doesn’t like at all, and they’re uncomfortable to wear.”

Hua Jing pondered Xu Chacha’s words, realizing that their children’s fashion magazine indeed had these problems.

They had always treated this as EV’s signature style, believing their name alone was the fashion compass and synonym for high-end. They focused only on using high-profile designers to attract attention, never considering the customers’ real needs.

She pressed a fist to her temple, pondering, and an impulsive, bold idea emerged.

“How about this?” Hua Jing met Xu Chacha’s gaze. “We won’t take pictures in this dress. We’ll shoot with others. Are you still willing to help Auntie take photos?”

“Really?” Xu Chacha didn’t expect Hua Jing to have a countermeasure so quickly. “Okay! Chacha is willing.”

Hua Jing called her assistant, asking her to prepare the clothes, and then asked the stylist to take Xu Chacha to change.

Fearing the assistant alone wouldn’t be fast enough, Hua Jing went with her to the warehouse. They had many sample clothes sent by collaborating designers. Occasionally, they would take them out to modify and re-wear. Now, they came in handy.

Lang Shu’s interview section was a two-page spread. To fill this gap, taking just one or two sets of photos would definitely not be enough. Hua Jing didn’t bother with details. She grabbed a small cart, throwing any appealing clothes into it and then asking the assistant to push out the entire shoe rack.

The two were very fast. Just as Xu Chacha finished changing, the rest room door was knocked open.

Hua Jing had Xu Chacha stand to the side, comparing the clothes to her size first. The ones that fit were casually put together into an outfit and hung on the rack. In just a few minutes, she had four or five outfits ready.

“Don’t just stand there. Go change the child.”

The stylist nodded, picked up a set, and led Xu Chacha into the changing room.

Xu Chacha didn’t waste time either, reaching out her hands when needed and pulling the clothes over her head. After changing, she was pressed down onto the chair to have her makeup redone.

Because she had to match many outfits, the stylist only gave her simple base makeup and minimal enhancement. However, with Xu Chacha’s natural advantage in facial features, the light makeup was very natural and fresh.

The blush was a shimmery light pink. After applying it, Xu Chacha’s cheeks looked like a dewy peach. Her thick eyelashes were naturally curled enough that they didn’t need curling. Paired with her clear, glass-like eyes, Xu Chacha now looked as beautiful as a doll.

After the first look was complete, Xu Chacha was immediately placed in the middle of the studio, with the reflector and camera pointed directly at her.

It had been a long time since she did her old job, and Xu Chacha was a little slow to react to the intensity, but the hesitation was brief. With the click-clack of the camera, she quickly caught up to the photographer’s rhythm, rapidly changing angles and poses.

“Little one, let’s not try to look cool. Smile more,” the photographer put down his camera to demonstrate for Xu Chacha.

He first poked his cheeks with two fingers, then framed his face with both hands, all paired with a silly grin that showed his white teeth.

Xu Chacha: Looking down on my professional skills?

It’s just being cute. Who can’t do that?

Xu Chacha’s long-dormant competitive spirit surged up. She held her breath and flashed a brilliant smile at the camera.

“Yes, yes, yes! Just like that.” The photographer nodded, pressing the shutter much faster.

She was already eye-catching just standing there. Now, smiling sweetly at the camera with her eyes curved, the innocence and liveliness of youth were perfectly displayed.

Not only was the photographer taking pictures, but Housekeeper Zhang, standing behind, couldn’t help but take out her phone, sending the photos in real-time to Mr. and Mrs. Xu.

Mrs. Xu: Ahhh, my darling is so cute! Take more, quick, quick!

Mr. Xu: Get closer and take a picture. It’s a bit blurry.

Housekeeper Zhang: [Image] x10

Mr. Xu: Take a picture of the left side too.

Housekeeper Zhang: [Image] x10

Mr. Xu: Do you have a more frontal angle?

By the time Housekeeper Zhang finished taking another set of photos and uploaded them to the group chat, Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu had already changed their profile pictures to photos of Xu Chacha.

They looked remarkably similar to the couple avatars used by young people online.

Hua Jing supervised next to the photographer, having styled all the outfits. She worried that Xu Chacha, a completely inexperienced child, would be stiff and uncomfortable in front of the camera.

To her surprise, Xu Chacha changed poses and expressions with every click, more skilled than many child models who had been working for four or five years. She even seemed to know which angle of her face was more photogenic and would adjust automatically.

Thanks to Xu Chacha, the progress was faster than expected. A quick set of clothes could be shot in a few minutes. In an hour, she changed five outfits, being tossed around like a doll, yet she didn’t complain at all.

After the fifth outfit, Hua Jing proactively called a break. “Let the child rest. Her lips are dry. Go drink some water quickly.”

Housekeeper Zhang immediately brought over Xu Chacha’s treasured thermos mug, opened the lid, and handed it to her.

“Standing for so long, are your legs tired? Granny will massage them for you.”

“Thank you, Granny.” Xu Chacha took the cup, declining Housekeeper Zhang’s massage. “No need for a massage. I think this is very fun and not tiring at all.”

Taking photos in just five outfits was nothing. When she had no income, she even took online modeling jobs, and shooting a hundred outfits a day was common.

Xu Chacha held the pink thermos mug with both hands, taking a big gulp, her cheeks bulging until she couldn’t fit any more, before swallowing it down.

The health tonic was at the perfect temperature, not too hot. The taste of American ginseng was refreshing.

The only thing was that she was still young and couldn’t overdo the supplements, or she would easily get a nosebleed.

“Burp! Ah!” After drinking half a thermos in one go, Xu Chacha closed her eyes happily, letting out a sigh like a little old lady from the back of her throat.

“Hmm? Whose child is this, looking all pitiful?” Xu Chacha’s head was patted.

She recognized the voice and turned around in surprise. “Auntie!”

Wen Mubai had changed into casual clothes. Her style of dressing was typically the “acting recklessly because she has a pretty face” type.

For example, today, even the most basic sleeveless T-shirt and high-waisted jeans were worn by her tall figure with the fashion sense of a magazine shoot.

“Are you tired? Did that Auntie bully you?” Wen Mubai observed her outfit. It was hard to believe such a small figure had such good proportions.

Xu Chacha wasn’t very tall, but her hips were positioned high up, her neck was long, and standing straight gave her a cheerful and refreshed look.

Xu Chacha shook her head. “Not tired, and Auntie Jingjing didn’t scold me.”

“That’s good.” Wen Mubai held out a bag to Xu Chacha. “Do you want some ice cream?”

“Mommy doesn’t let me eat it.”

This was because last time Xu Chacha was too greedy. She secretly ate three containers of Häagen-Dazs in one afternoon when Housekeeper Zhang wasn’t looking. Unfortunately, children have sensitive stomachs, and she nearly slept on the toilet that night.

“Then—” Wen Mubai hadn’t even pulled her hand back when Xu Chacha’s hand snatched the bag.

The little girl’s clear, bright apricot eyes gazed at her, and she licked her lips, practically carving the words “I want to eat” on her face.

“If Auntie gives it to me, Mommy will agree, right?” Xu Chacha asked in a whisper.

Wen Mubai nearly laughed. “Who taught you to shift the blame?”

Xu Chacha pretended not to understand.

“Put it down. You can eat it after it melts a bit.” Wen Mubai put the ice cream aside.

“Then I’m taking her now,” Hua Jing came over to grab the child.

“I’m only lending her to you for a moment. Give her back quickly.” Wen Mubai straightened Xu Chacha’s crumpled skirt.

“Honestly, she’s a treasure. If you hadn’t shown up, I wouldn’t have planned on giving her back.” Hua Jing said.

“That depends on whether she wants to go with you,” Wen Mubai propped her chin on her hand, completely unconcerned.

Xu Chacha gave her face. “I’m going with Auntie.”

“No way.” Hua Jing picked her up. “The bad Auntie is taking you away.”

“Whoa!” Xu Chacha was startled by her sudden movement. Hua Jing’s lift was even more intense than Mr. Xu’s, giving her the thrill of a roller coaster.

Hua Jing didn’t have the heart to bother the little benefactor for too long, shooting two final outfits before letting her go home.

By the time Xu Chacha finished removing her makeup and came out, the ice cream had mostly melted.

Wen Mubai held a straw she found somewhere and stuck it into the ice cream container for her. “Drink it like a milkshake.”

Xu Chacha took it. The melted vanilla ice cream had a creamy, almost milkshake-like texture, and the chocolate chips on top looked quite appetizing.

She cautiously took a small sip, carefully tasting it on the tip of her tongue.

It hadn’t melted completely into water; she could still taste a bit of the icy temperature. The chocolate chips mixed with crushed nuts were quite fragrant when chewed.

Not only was it not horrible, but it tasted quite good?

She gulped down a few more big mouthfuls, a circle of white ice cream liquid coating her mouth.

Wen Mubai took a disposable wet wipe and wiped it off for her, not complaining about her messy eating.

Xu Yanshu often did this for Xu Chacha. With Wen Mubai doing it, she didn’t feel anything was wrong. After Wen Mubai wiped one side, she stretched her small head and offered the other side. “This side, this side. Auntie needs to wipe this too.”

“Are you the reincarnation of a spoiled brat?” Wen Mubai’s tone held no blame, only a hint of indulgence. She still curved her slender, pale fingers, pinching the wet wipe to clean Xu Chacha’s mouth. “There, my little ancestor.”

Xu Chacha nodded, finished the remaining half cup in a few large gulps, then turned and picked up the thermos mug, taking a long drink.

“That way, they balance each other out.” Xu Chacha patted her belly, which was full of water and sloshed when she walked. “I’m so full, Auntie.”

Wen Mubai chuckled. “I never see you this enthusiastic when eating meals. But you finish snacks at the speed of light.”

“That’s different. Snacks and main courses don’t go into the same stomach.” This truth applies to girls of all ages.

Xu Chacha firmly believed it, anyway.

“They are not in the same stomach.” Wen Mubai patted her bulging stomach. “They’re all right here.”

Xu Chacha: …

…

Xu Chacha had to burp three or four times before she could finally move comfortably.

“It’s still early. Where did you want to go earlier? Auntie will take you.”

They started shooting in the morning, and it was only a little past two in the afternoon. Malls and amusement facilities hadn’t closed yet.

“This morning, I wanted to go to… the amusement park.”

It sounded a bit cliché, but Xu Chacha always felt that not going to an amusement park with her family when she was little was a gap in her childhood.

Mr. and Mrs. Xu were busy, and she felt awkward asking, so she could only focus her attention on Wen Mubai.

“Amusement park?” Wen Mubai pondered.

They were in the city center business district. The nearest amusement park was at least an hour and a half away by car. Counting the round trip, that would be double the time. She definitely couldn’t get Xu Chacha home before dark.

It wouldn’t be appropriate to bring someone else’s daughter out to play and return late for the first time.

“But Chacha doesn’t really want to go anymore,” Xu Chacha noticed her hesitation and quickly smiled it away. “I’m happy as long as I’m with Auntie. Where does Auntie want to go?”

“How about this? Auntie knows of a children’s play area nearby. Let’s go there today, and we’ll go to the amusement park next time, okay?” Wen Mubai negotiated with her.

“Okay.” Xu Chacha agreed almost without thinking.

—Until half an hour later when she was carried and plopped into a pile of ocean balls.

Xu Chacha sat there blankly, her ears filled with the sharp, noisy shouts of human children.

It felt like a hundred whistles were vibrating against her skull, each one leaving an echoing buzz for half a day.

What you can’t have is indeed the best. People tend to romanticize things from old memories.

Xu Chacha had always thought that the amusement park was the best place for parent-child interaction, filled with sweet cotton candy, cute bunny-ear headbands, and the silly fun of following people to stand in long queues.

“Waaah! Fun, fun!”

“I want to go down the slide again! I want to go down the slide again!”

“Wuwahaha! Mommy, I want Mommy!”

Xu Chacha managed to stand up amidst the brain-fatiguing laughter and cries. She took awkward, difficult steps, slowly moving forward in the pile of ocean balls that reached up to her waist… and then stumbled and fell clumsily with a plop.

“Heh—”

Although the faint laugh was very brief and only managed to come out as a breathy sound, Xu Chacha keenly caught it. She glanced at Wen Mubai, who was covering her mouth and smiling, her little eyes filled with grievance and complaint.

“Auntie, am I funny?”

She was indeed quite funny. Because Xu Chacha usually looked like a little genius—smart, sensible, and articulate—it was rare to see her looking clumsy, which made her look adorably goofy.

Wen Mubai couldn’t hide the upward curve of her lips, but she still told a white lie to deceive the child. “Auntie isn’t laughing.”

“A three-year-old wouldn’t fall for your lie.”

“True,” Wen Mubai nodded, her tone serious. “Our Chacha is seven already.”